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January 11, 2026

The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy. It may look red or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone. You can usually buy medicine from a pharmacy to treat it.
Ringworm is found in every country but some forms are common in resource-poor tropical settings. While not life threatening, ringworm can be uncomfortable. Yes, you can get ringworm from dogs, cats and other animals like cows, goats or horses.

Nail infections

Mild cases of ringworm clear up within a few weeks. In fact, they may worsen the infection. Disinfectant sprays like Lysol® or bleach can remove the fungus. It won’t cure it, but it may help contain the infection. Most medications are prescribed for between one and three months. Examining the scales typically confirms ringworm.

Antifungal shampoo

This type of fungus naturally lives on your skin, hair and nails. Ringworm is treated with antifungal medication available either over the counter or as a prescription. It’s fine for your child to go to school or nursery once they’ve started treatment.

  • Clinicians should also become familiar emerging ringworm, including some that are antimicrobial-resistant.
  • If it’s not itchy and annoying, it’s very unlikely the ringworm is fungal.
  • The main symptom of ringworm is a rash.
  • Several factors can increase the risk of developing ringworm.
  • Ringworm is a fungal skin infection caused by parasites that live on dead skin tissue.
  • Although ringworm can go away by itself, it’s not common.
  • Ringworm is typically treated with antifungal medications.

Misdiagnoses and incorrect or delayed treatment allows symptoms to progress. Occasionally, a bacterial infection can occur on top of a fungal nail infection and cause serious illness. Ringworm of the nails usually spreads through a small cut in the skin around the nails. It can be caused by ringworm or by infection with other types of fungi such as yeasts. The most common species of fungi that cause ringworm are Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. Dermatophytes can also infect nails, leading to a condition known as onychomycosis (fungal nail infection).

Emerging severe ringworm

  • Contact a healthcare provider for an appropriate diagnosis.
  • The ringworm fungus can live on surfaces for months.
  • Sometimes only one patch of infection occurs.
  • The infection is caused by fungi, known as dermatophytes, that thrive on the skin, hair, and nails.
  • Ringworm can be unpleasant, but antifungal medications will help you get rid of the fungus that causes ringworm.
  • On rare occasions, the ringworm fungus goes deeper into your skin, making it even harder to treat.

Follow your healthcare provider’s treatment plan until the infection clears completely. Several nonprescription (over-the-counter) and prescription antifungal medications are available to treat ringworm. Your healthcare provider can diagnose ringworm by looking at your skin and assessing your symptoms. Over-the-counter and prescription treatments can stop the fungus from spreading to other parts of your body or to others. Ringworm is a common fungal infection.
So, it often looks like a ring that becomes gradually larger – hence the name ringworm. Preventing ringworm involves reducing the risk of exposure and transmission. This sample is betsomnia casino then examined under a microscope or sent to a laboratory for fungal culture or molecular diagnosis. Ringworm is usually diagnosed based on its characteristic appearance and symptoms.

How does ringworm affect pregnancy?

There is a spreading outbreak of extensive and drug-resistant ringworm in many countries Symptoms of ringworm include itching, redness, and a characteristic ring-shaped rash. Contact a healthcare provider for an appropriate diagnosis.

Care at Cleveland Clinic

Warts and verrucas usually clear in time without treatment. Ringworm is also more common in people living in a warm climate. This varies between the different creams, so the instructions should be read carefully.
Ringworm is often described by the site of the body affected. Ringworm is characterized by the part of the body affected. Infections are difficult to treat, and some strains are antimicrobial-resistant. Ringworm spreads easily through direct contact with an infected person, animal, or contaminated surface. Ringworm can appear on different parts of the body including the scalp, feet (athlete’s foot), and groin (jock itch).
Ringworm is contagious and extremely common. Ringworm has different names based on where it appears on your body — and it can appear just about anywhere. This type of ringworm affects your arms, legs, torso and face.
Lesions typically appear red on light skin and look gray or brown on darker skin Multiple lesions might be present. The classic ringworm lesion is an erythematous, raised, scaly ring with central clearing. Onychomycosis is estimated to affect around 14% of the general population and is especially common in older adults.
Both ringworm and eczema cause itchy, red skin. Eczema and many other skin conditions can resemble ringworm. While ringworm is present on your skin, you’re still contagious to others. Although ringworm can go away by itself, it’s not common. Wash clothes, sheets and towels in hot water and detergent to prevent ringworm from spreading. The ringworm fungus can live on surfaces for months.

Risk factors

Ringworm is an itchy, contagious fungal infection that causes a ring-shaped pattern on your skin. They can look at the rash and recommend the best antifungal medicine. In some cases, incorrect treatment can worse the infection.
Corticosteroid creams may help reduce inflammation, but they shouldn’t be used to treat ringworm. Over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal creams, gels or powders typically work well. You can get this infection anytime your skin comes into contact with the ringworm fungus on someone else’s skin. This common and contagious skin infection gets its name from the red, itchy, ring-shaped skin plaque (a type of scaly rash).